There are many new and exciting things to see in Africa. There is no way anyone could possibly see everything there is to see in one trip. This is why travelers need to decide exactly what they want to see before taking their trip so they can book the appropriate safari. There are many animals to choose from, chimpanzees, gorillas, the Big 5 (lions, rhino, buffalo, leopard, and elephant), crocodiles, and birds to name a few. There are many things to prepare for before going, and travelers should be prepared if for no other reason than their safety.

There are different types of safaris travelers can choose to take. There are safaris where you can hike, mountain bike, take a balloon trip, canoe, hunt, ride a horse, or even ride a camel. You will also need to decide on just how much luxury you will want on your trip. Traditional tented safaris are luxurious with camp set up for you, hot showers and gourmet food. Then there are guided safaris where you travel on four wheelers or trucks and a guide will stay with you wherever you go. Package safaris are like guided safaris except you will not travel with a group. Then for the more daring travelers there are independent safari where you rent your own vehicle and plan your own trip

Many people think that Africa is an extremely dangerous place to visit, but it is no more dangerous than any other place you might go if you go prepared. The most common crime you will run across is probably petty theft. No matter how much money tourists in Africa have, they probably still have more than the natives. Wearing flashy jewelry, expensive cameras, and expensive watches just draws attention and is probably not a good idea to carry around. Try not to look lost and try not to travel alone if you can help it. Also never carry all of your cash on you at once so that if you are mugged you wont lose everything that you have.

Another safety issue when traveling to Africa is your health. Tuberculosis (TB) is traveling through the African air and affecting hundreds of people. To avoid catching TB try to avoid people who are coughing and sleeping in crowded areas. Another health hazard in Africa is the Putzi fly, which is a native to the country. The flys lay their eggs on human clothes that are hanging out to dry then hatch when contacted with human skin. The simple solution to avoid these flies is to always iron your clothes before wearing them. Travelers should always watch for mosquitoes as well because they can carry yellow fever and malaria.

Even with the disease in Africa it is still at the top of most peoples wish list of places to go. There are many beautiful sights and sounds and if correctly planned and the right precautions are taken can be a spectacular experience.

About The Author
A.M. Howard

Tags: hotels, wild life, africa, animals, lodges, vacation, national parks, travel, rhino, south africa

We are looking forward to visiting the light house at Lake Victoria Safari Village at Mbita point. Spending a few days in it will be a new experience. The landscape from Kisumu to Luanda Kotieno on the shores of Asembo Bay, off the road to Bondo, is full of ancient features: age-old Cambrian rocks fill the Hills along the tarmac road and Kit Mikaye, the gigantic borders sitting atop each other. At Ndori we turn left onto the dusty murrum road to Luanda Kotieno to catch the 11oclock ferry to Mbita point. It runs like clock work so if you miss it you have to wait for the next three hours for the next trip.

The Lake is calm, with water birds here and there and in a distance a strange dust devil appears. Its a whole cloud of the harmless minute flies that breed in the water and sometimes in the swamp places.
Forty-five minutes later, we clock at Mbita point and soon we are at the gate of Lake Victoria Safari Village. The sign on the entrance promises relation at the beach, bird watching and excursions on the Lake.

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Tags: kruger park, travel, safari, camping, hotels, lodges, african, south african, national parks, rhino

The Rhino or Rhinoceros is another of the “big five” and is in the family Rhinocerotidae. Two of the species in this family are native to Africa and three to southern Asia. The three species that are most endangered are the Javan Rhino, Sumatran Rhino and The Black Rhinoceros. The Indian Rhino is also endangered with less than 2700 remaining in the wild. The White Rhino is registered as vulnerable with around 14,500 remaining in the wild.

The Rhinoceros family is branded by the large size and all of the species are capable of achieving a weight of around a ton or more. They have a herbivorous diet and a thick protective skin that is around 1.5 – 5 cm thick and the skin is formed from layers of collagen positioned in a lattice structure and is highly impenetrable when compared with other animals. They have relatively small brains for mammals of their size – around 400 – 600 grams) and of course the large horn.

They generally eat leafy substances although their ability to ferment food in their gut means they can eat more fibrous plant matter if need be. (more…)

Tags: holiday, camping, animals, leopard, hotels, lodges, african, vacation, kruger park, safaris

Named after the great Limpopo River that flows along its northern border, this province is rich in wildlife, spectacular scenery and a wealth of historical and cultural treasures.

Known as the Great North, Limpopo province is home to ancient lands and pre-historic secrets. This is home to Modjadji, the fabled Rain Queen; The Stone Age and Iron age relics of Makapansgat Valley and the treasures of Mapungubwe that date back to time immemorial.

Straddling the northern Kruger Park, Limpopo province boasts wildlife safaris, nature trails untamed Africa at its finest. This is the land of wide-open bushveld, big-sky country, the ever-present thorn tree and the mystical baobab tree.

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Tags: lodges, lion, rhino, animals, travel, kruger park, adverture, african, south african, africa

One of the most famous of the “big five”, the Lion or Panthera Leo is a member of the family Felidae and is one of the four big cats in the Panthera genus. Large males can exceed 250kg in weight and it is the second largest living cat after the Tiger.

Lions in their natural habitat currently live in sub-Saharan Africa and in Asia and have a critically endangered population in northwest India. They used to live in North Africa, the Middle East and Western Asia but have all been wiped out since.

About 10,000 years ago the lion was the most widespread large land mammal besides humans and they were found in most of Africa, much of Eurasia from Western Europe to India and in the Americas from the Yukon to Peru.

Being a lion cub is actually quite hard however, lionesses in secure habitat such as Kruger National Park may frequently reach an age of 12-14 years old whereas lions seldom live longer than 8 years. (more…)

Tags: rhino, safaris, lion, vacation, safari, holiday, africa, national parks, kruger park, lodges

Lake Nakuru National Park in Kenya was established in 1961, and it has grown from just the lake and the mountains around to now include a lot of the savannahs. As a consequence the amount of wildlife to view has increased enormously, making Nakuru a very worthwhile part of any African safari trip. It is at an altitude of 5700 ft, and covers an area of over 188 sq. Kms.

Its height above sea level alone means that the vegetation and wildlife are considerably different than say at Tsavo which is mainly much lower and closer to the sea.

The lake itself is shallow and alkaline, and varies in size from 5 to 30 square kms depending on the time of year. It is the alkaline nature of Lake Nakuru that causes the huge numbers of visitors each year. It is no exaggeration to say that one species more than any other has made the lake famous throughout the world.

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Tags: hotels, animals, safari, travel, south african, holiday, resorts, africa, vacation, animal

Another big cat of the “big five” is the Leopard or Panthera Pardus which is a mammal of the Felidae family and is the smallest of the four big cats of the genus Panthera, which includes the Tiger, Lion and Jaguar along with the Leopard. The Leopard was once seen across southern Eurasia and Africa as well as Korea, Spain and of course South Africa but it has since disappeared and now mainly resides in sub-Saharan Africa much like the Lion.

The Leopard can be seen in other places such as Israel, Indochina, Malaysia and western China but always in very small populations. Despite the continued population decrease this cat remains a lesser concern for conservationists mainly because its numbers are far greater than that of the other Panthera species, all of which face more acute conservation concerns. The Leopard is famous for its spots and these cats have relatively short legs and a long body and usually a massive skull. Physically it most closely resembles the Jaguar although it is usually smaller with more delicate features. (more…)

Tags: rhino, vacation, african, travel, adverture, resorts, kruger park, holiday, animals, wild life